A Letter to Stefan
by arringga
Summary: Elijah promised that she could live her life normally and keep her loved ones safe as long as she cooperated with him. Elena knows her friends aren't going to let her go without a fight. She decides to leave with Elijah immediately to prevent anything from getting in the way with her and Elijah's deal. She writes a letter to Stefan to say good bye and reflects on their last days.
1. Chapter 1

VDFF

**Set in season 2. Elena has made a deal with Elijah that no one will be harmed as long as she cooperates with them. She decides to leave immediately with Elijah instead of living her life normally. **

_Dear Stefan, _

_ By the time you read this, I'll be gone. You have to understand that you can't look for me. Do not try to find me. I don't want to be found. I want you to that I love you and I will do anything to protect you. _

_ When Elijah came to me, he was honest about his and my role in it. In turn I want to be honest with you, to help you understand that this was my choice. As you know, Klaus needs the Petrova doppelgänger to complete the ritual to bring out the dormant werewolf gene. Elijah plans to kill him in the transition as he will be weakened by the ritual. I have come to an agreement with Elijah that as long as I cooperate with him he will protect you and everyone I love. No harm will come to any of you. Elijah is a man of honor and I trust him. _

_ I have no false illusions that I will come out of this situation alive. I know I will die during the ritual, Elijah has made that clear. It makes me sad to know that our short time together is already over but I would choose my short time with you than a hundred lifetimes without you. It makes things easier knowing that you and my family will be safe. Once the ritual is over and Klaus and Elijah is out of your lives forever, I want you to continue to live and be happy. _

_ I know I am in no position to ask you for favors but I know you will do as I ask because you love me just as much as I love you. Please watch over Jeremey and Jenna. Do everything you can to keep them happy. I know they grieve for me but eventually they will move on and I want you to be there to help them. I know Jenna has no idea of how the world is a lot scarier than we ever thought possible, I would ask you to comfort her but she will have Ric to do that. I will leave it up to Jeremy whether he wants her to know the truth or not. Whatever it is he decides, whether it be to tell her the truth or come up with a good cover story, be there to make it easier for him. Jenna was a wonderful guardian. She tried so hard to be the parents Jeremy and I lost and she did an amazing job. She is one of the people I love most in the world and I will miss her. _

_ Be the brother Jeremy needs when I'm gone. He has lost so much that this will be even harder for him but I know he will have you to be there for him. He's a great brother with so much potential. I thought I would be there to see what he would do with himself but since I won't be there for him I need you to be. Tell him I love him so much. _

_ Keep in touch with Bonnie and Caroline. I know they can take care of themselves but be the friend I won't be able to be when I'm not with them anymore. Caroline will help keep you grounded as Lexi once did and life will never be boring when she is around. She is such a strong person and I am so proud of her. Watch over Bonnie, make sure she doesn't overdo it with magic. I worry for her. I know she is a capable witch but she would risk her life to protect us. She doesn't need to anymore. She has been so much more than a friend. I love Caroline and Bonnie both for everything that they are and everything that they have done for us. Make sure Matt makes something of himself. Help him in any way you can. He was always my reminder that no matter how crazy things got there was always good in people. He has sacrificed so much. He is so special and he deserves the world. Help him get it, please._

_ Lastly I ask that you and Damon stick together. I know your past has been anything but pleasant but he is your brother and you love him. He loves you too. I know he does. Damon thinks that he is a bad person but I know that he has good in him. He thinks that if he starts doing good people will expect good from him and he will only be a disappointment. What he doesn't understand is that all people have good and bad in them. The good is sometimes overshadowed by the bad but as long as he kept trying to do good, I would never be disappointed in him. He is my friend and I love him. He deserves happiness. Find happiness together. _

_ I want to thank you, Stefan. You came into my life when I most needed someone. When my world was all darkness, you were my only light. If it weren't for you I wouldn't be able to see out of the darkness and realize that there was a whole world waiting for me as long as you were by my side. Leaving you will be the hardest part of this. I love you so much and it hurts me to leave you. But I would make the same choice over and over again if it kept you safe. When it is my time to go I will think of you. I will think of you in my room curled up beside me. I'll think of your hand in mine walking the halls at school. I will think of the Decade dance, swaying to the music with your arms around me. I will think of you and I will die happy because I got to spend a part of my life with you. Stefan, I love you with every bit of my being. I want you to be happy. When you are done grieving and are ready to move on, please keep a piece of me in your heart, I always carry you in mine. _

_ I love you,_

_ Elena_

I sealed the letter in an envelope, writing Stefan's name on the front and put it on my desk. I stood for a moment, looking around my room, knowing this would the last time I saw it. Jeremy was only a few yards away in his room, sleeping. I wanted so badly to walk into his room and kiss him good bye but I couldn't risk waking him. Tears threatened to spill over so I pinched my arm, the sharp pain drawing them back. Elijah waited for me, sitting on the bench beside my window. I knew he would be understanding of my tears but I didn't want him to see me being emotional.

I picked up my suit case and turned to Elijah. "I'm ready."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I picked up my suit case and turned to Elijah. "I'm ready."

"Are you absolutely sure this is what you want Elena?" Forever the gentlemen, he took my suitcase from me to carry. "You can still stay with your family until its time. I have your word that you will not run. I trust you."

Even though Elijah is the reason for my imminent death, it is hard for me to hate him. He must sacrifice me to kill his brother but I can tell by the tight set of his jaw when we are talking about it that he wish it wasn't necessary. Once he made me realize that Klaus would stop at nothing to complete the ritual and that the only way to minimalize the damage was to cooperate him. Elijah told me of how he killed Katherine's entire family for running from him. I will not make that same mistake. If this is what it takes to protect them, I'll do it. Nothing in this world was going to kill him no matter how hard Stefan and Damon tried. At least there was Elijah, with a small yet silver lining.

"I can protect them." He had said that day I finally agreed to meet him alone. We met at a small coffee shop at the end of town where I was least likely to be seen by anyone I know, a hard task to do seeing as how everyone knew each other in Mystic Falls.

Elijah ordered us both lattes then sat across from me at a table in the corner where we wouldn't be overheard. "Klaus will kill everyone you love if that means getting what he wants. If there was any other way to spare you, I would do it but this way you do not die in vain. With your cooperation, your family is safe and the threat of Klaus will be gone out of the ritual. I'll even let you live your life normally until the time comes if I can trust you. "

I sat in silence for a while. Elijah patiently waited, knowing that I needed time to think. He sipped his latte quietly while I thought of this proposition. I thought of Stefan and Damon, how they would do anything to protect me. They would grow suspicious if Elijah left without a fight. I didn't trust myself to keep that big of a secret especially from Stefan. I've never kept anything from him and I was a terrible liar. Then I thought of Bonnie, how she would let herself die protecting me as she has come so close before. She had already lost her grandmother trying to help me. I didn't want her to lose anything else. I thought of Damon who would let her. He would choose me over anyone else. He would let everyone die if that meant any hope of saving me. When I thought all these people who would be willing to risk their lives just to save me, I felt a small surge of happiness. I was so lucky to have these people in my life. A small smile played on my lips. I looked up to see Elijah baffled at my expression. My smile fell and I kept thinking of the surest way to keep them all safe. If I attempted to live normally till it was time for the ritual, Stefan or Damon (especially Damon) might do something to make Elijah angry, thinking it would help me but really it would put everyone at risk.

Finally I looked up at Elijah and said, "No."

His face momentarily darkened. "Are you refusing my offer?" he asked.

"No! That's not what I mean," I said flustered and worried I would be able to explain myself. "What I mean is," I forced myself to be calm, "is that I don't want to wait and live my life normally."

"Elena, you continue to surprise me. May I ask why you don't want to stay among your family?"

"Think about it. If I stay there may be a risk of the plan falling through. The longer I stay the bigger chance of someone finding out and I can't let that happen. It will be easier to make a clean break. Less complicated that way. Its better guarantees their safety." I explained to him.

Elijah considered this for a moment, finally he said "I admire you Elena. I offer you more time with your family but you will not let anything put them at risk. You will stop at nothing to protect your loved ones, even removing yourself from them when it is not necessity."

"I understand that but this is the best way." I said, realizing what I've agreed to. Oddly it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was as if I was the one that could shut off my emotions. At least, I thought to myself, I've done to best I could to protect them.

"I suppose there is nothing left to discuss but when we should leave." Elijah said, peering over at me across the table. He must think I'm going to change my mind, I thought.

"How about tomorrow night?" I said. "It will give me tonight to pack and tomorrow I would like to spend it with Stefan. He can't know it's our last day together but I need one more day with him before we go."

"I understand. I will come to collect you tomorrow at midnight. Are you absolutely sure this is what you want, Elena?" As he said this he put his hand lightly on top of mine. This small gesture of kindness brings back the emotions that were pleasantly numb a few moments before.

I smiled at him and nod my head. "Yes," I said in a voice that wasn't completely steady. "This is what I want."


End file.
